Febrile Seizures: Causes, Symptoms & What to Do

A high fever can cause a seizure known as a febrile seizure. They're most common in small children, especially infants. Febrile seizures are usually harmless unless they're prolonged or accompanied by specific risk factors.

Symptoms

• Febrile seizures often cause the child to shake uncontrollably and lose consciousness. The child may also become rigid or twitch in rare cases.

Duration

• Febrile seizures usually last less than two minutes. They may be as brief as a few seconds or as long as 15 minutes.

Risk Factors

• Febrile seizures occur most commonly in children between 6 months and 5 years of age, especially those younger than 15 months. Additional risk factors include frequent fevers and family history of febrile seizures.

Treatment

• A febrile seizure in children usually doesn't require hospitalization unless it lasts for a long period of time or is caused by a serious infection. A doctor should only prescribe anti-convulsants in rare cases due to the severe side effects of these drugs.

Prognosis

• Febrile seizures are almost always harmless but can increase the risk of epilepsy in rare cases. These include children with delayed development, cerebral palsy or neurological problems.